Xbox One dev claims Kinect costs ‘almost as much’ as the console itself

This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Two days ago, a confirmed Microsoft Xbox One developer did an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit in which he dropped a number of tidbits on the console’s design, Microsoft’s plans for the project, internal opinion on the always-on DRM fiasco, and how Microsoft had interpreted the feedback from that event. One of the startling facts of the session was his claim that the Xbox One’s Kinect sensor is nearly as expensive as the console itself.

If true, that explains quite a bit about the $499 price that’s led to a lot of grumbling in gamer circles. We don’t know what the Xbox’s bill of materials will look like, or if Microsoft is selling the system at a loss, but the $100 differential between Xbone and the PS4 implies that Microsoft isn’t gouging customers — it’s recouping at least part of the total cost of the system. That, in turn, means that quick price cuts are less likely and Kinect-less systems aren’t going to happen.

Microsoft’s Kinected Gamble

There are two enormous problems with the “Sell a Kinect-less version” or even the “cut the price” idea. First, the original Kinect was a money-maker for Microsoft from day one. The estimated BOM on the device was $56 and it retailed for $149. If Kinect 2 is actually almost as expensive as the Xbox One, Microsoft is either barely breaking even on hardware or selling at a loss. Both Microsoft and Sony are loathe to repeat the hammering they took in 2005, especially since the longterm future of the console market is a bit cloudy. The generally wretched performance of the 3DS, Vita, and Wii U, combined with slumping console sales on current generation hardware despite ongoing game releases, puts considerable pressure on both companies to be profitable (or as close to it as possible) from the beginning.

But if Kinect 2 is actually that expensive, it underscores why Microsoft can’t risk making it optional. Kinect 1.0, like most game console accessories, was only moderately successful. Motion-controlled gaming has faded to an emphasis on voice controls as Microsoft has realized that there are intrinsic limitations and drawbacks to running a game without any buttons. Still, the hardware made money — nearly $100 per unit.

Kinect 2.0 has to justify itself and its price tag, which means Microsoft has to justify why anyone would actively want to own it. To date, they’ve largely failed. It’s not clear, for example, why Battlefield 4 doesn’t leverage the camera to allow you to use military hand signals to give orders to your squadmates — hopefully we’ll see that functionality added in a different game. Packaging a Kinect with every console is the only way to boost availability to the point where developers might use it, though Redmond faces an uphill slog when it comes to cross-platform titles. Since Sony doesn’t have an analogous mandatory device, game developers looking to cut development time may not be willing to bake in the necessary adaptations to make Kinect 2.0 compelling.

Still, the die is cast on this one. The Microsoft developer who conducted the AMA emphasizes that he can’t imagine using the Xbox One without Kinect, and Microsoft is clearly hoping that consumers will agree with him.

Tagged In

So… They overpriced the unit; then forced it on everyone pricing their box above anything else. This is the one part very few people actually want. And they wounder what’s wrong with the XBone… Trying to now OC the chip, change RAM configurations before launch, etc. And while some of the voice controls were cute for the controlling of the unit, that could be done with a $1 or less microphone… I personally can’t stand the gestures stuff. Maybe that’s cause I’m in a wheelchair but… Even flailing my arms about at my TV feels totally ridiculous to me. I can handle a tiny remote just fine.

gt1111

look up skyrim and mass effect 3 to see how kinect was used. it was actually cool and only enchaned the gameplay.

SirGCal

I wouldn’t play either game on the near decade old console. I don’t care what ‘enhancements’ they tried to add. Graphics aren’t anywhere in the ballpark to what even a modest PC is capable of on either title. And ‘enhancements’ don’t make up for lack of graphic capability in my book. Honestly I don’t see the newer consoles being able to play titles like Skyrim at near full capabilities either, not at least at what some PCs can with fully modded capabilities (though still few can).

tech

You have no credibility whatsoever if you didn’t take the time to see how Kinect enhances Skyrim gameplay.

Do some research then post intelligently.

Or just post your PC specs and fap more on yourself bro.

SirGCal

I know it’s “enhancements” but that doesn’t make up for the extreme lack of graphical capability of the very aged hardware. To assume that I didn’t know what they were just because I don’t care what they were is pretty childish. So is everyone, and especially ‘guests’ crying “no credibility” when they can’t even log in and give a name to stand by… Bad enough everyone pads their own posts with their laptops as ‘guests’… They really need to turn off guests all together and be done with it period. Still, I’m done with this thread and un-subbed from notifications from all the fanboys running rampant here. I don’t care about any of the consoles. I pointed out an obvious flaw in their thinking (again) and they come out in droves to defend their arm-flailing ejit actions.

Shane Nokes

That would make sense if they were posting as a guest again, but they aren’t.

It sounds like someone just doesn’t like it when they are openly called out.

Jimmy_Jangle

Graphics alone do not a good game make!

It may be apocryphal, but Henry Ford supposedly said, “If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me a faster horse.”

YOU are that customer. Sometimes a company has to think ahead of what the customer wants.

Aaron Lucas

Sometimes the customer doesn’t know exactly what they want.
He gave them a faster horse, just without the horse.

Jimmy_Jangle

True. Problem is most people on here let blind idiocy interrupt their capacity for rational thought.

Jimmy_Jangle

True. Problem is most people on here let blind idiocy interrupt their capacity for rational thought.

Aaron Lucas

Sometimes the customer doesn’t know exactly what they want.
He gave them a faster horse, just without the horse.

Aaron Lucas

Sometimes the customer doesn’t know exactly what they want.
He gave them a faster horse, just without the horse.

tech

Discussing pros and cons of console/PC in an intelligent way is more mature than “I’m leaving this thread waaaaaaa” posts.

Just saying. If you don’t care about any of the consoles, why the hell are you posting on this Xbox news? Lying through your teeth much?

The point is, just discuss and give your point. No need to bash on innovative tech needlessly even if its not your cup of tea.

Me, I’ll be playing anything and everything gaming wise that looks interesting. Starting with the Oculus Rift this Christmas :D

Marble Shark

lol what a baby…

Adi

are you willing to pay $100 more for that. I am not.

Morris Buel

The “Enhancements” were a joke. It’s WAY quicker to press a button than to scream at your TV.

That’s not cool, it’s annoying especially if you have a family interacting with their own things in the same room.

gt1111

look up skyrim and mass effect 3 to see how kinect was used. it was actually cool and only enchaned the gameplay.

Guest

You lost all credibility when you claimed t hat Kinect’s voice controls can be replicated with a $1 microphone. The Kinect needs to be bundled in or it’ll never reach its full potential. Sure, the Kinect 1 was gimmicky, and maybe even the Kinect 2 will be as well, but odds are that Kinect 3 and 4 are going to be frackin’ awesome–completely changing gaming forever. I for one want to see what clever developers can come up with, but that won’t happen unless the Kinect 2 is bundled. It’s a brilliant move by Microsoft.

SirGCal

The hardware doesn’t do the voice work. It does the gesture reviews and what-not. Voice is all done by the OS and the underlying software there-in and is simply nothing more then the microphones on the unit. Nice try though.

tech

Actually you are wrong. Sony is the one that is going to be at a loss for not keeping the PS4Eye mandatory included.

You’ll eat your words, no matter how much you hate gesture control gaming. The uses for these devices go far beyond the gimmick games that have been released in past decades. Kinect will now live up to its potential. PSeye will be the same ol same ol as no one will own it.

That is the fact of it.

Adi

Xbox is at a loss as I have always bought xbox from the start all the way to the xbox 360 slim but now I will buy PS4 because xbox has pissed me off by forcing me to buy some thing I will never use. I have not interest in kinect so I am not paying $100 more for it. I am clear proof that xbox will lose business as I was a loyal customer but not any more.

coip

Precisely. And do you have any idea how much R&D costs went in to perfecting that software? Way more than a dollar per unit.

SirGCal

The software is part of the XBone’s OS already installed into the unit. Regardless of what the software cost them to develop, it’s already on the box. That was a pretty poor fanboy argument. I actually do software development and even for an embedded device developer so I know both ends of that specific area first hand. Either way they do it, the software’s already on the boxes.

Ya’ll seem to think I hate Xbox and want a PS4. I don’t like any of them. Nore the Wii. I think all of the arm-flailing garbage is just that. None of them can hold a candle to a moderately capable PC, especially now that they are all PCs (if you really want me to post my PC specs, I’d be more then happy to do so)… Not that they weren’t before, just a different flavor.

They had to add these other control systems to give them something interesting cause they had no power to keep up. In VERY few situations, they had any actual unique benefit, such as Skyrim for example. (Ya, I know what it did, doesn’t mean I’d back up a decade to play it with voice commands and gestures with graphics that poor compared to my PC.) All too often they were a fad or for the truly lazy who shouldn’t be playing games anyhow.

You like it; more power to ya. I’m not planning on any console. But especially not the Xbox where they force the one item I

never wanted. I had a 360 (that I haven’t turned on in over 3 years and finally gave away) but the Kinetic was NEVER on my remote list of things to consider. I’ve seen friends use it, I’ll pass.

And for the record; most of the companies don’t make a profit on the actual consoles themselves… At least not at the initial release. The initial 360 release for example was way under it’s cost. That’s one reason it went so long before they built a new one… And now I’m bored so I’m un-monitoring this thread…

coip

Then you should know that R&D costs are R&D costs regardless of whether its “already in the box”. Also, please post your PC specs now like you promised. Pretty sure we all care about that.

Aaron Lucas

A high definition web camera only costs $35, so the cameras are definitely not the total cost of the unit. They talk of cars costing a billion dollars to design (the Holden Commodore is one) I’m gonna guess the wages for the man hours of designing the software and getting it right and designing the plastic box it lives in etc. have to be included in the price, and we will never know those particular numbers. It is fun to try though. :)

Marble Shark

It’s about the quality of the CCD. A $35 ‘HD’ web camera is usually anything but – you get a none FHD CCD with FHD upscaling circuitry.

Aaron Lucas

A high definition web camera only costs $35, so the cameras are definitely not the total cost of the unit. They talk of cars costing a billion dollars to design (the Holden Commodore is one) I’m gonna guess the wages for the man hours of designing the software and getting it right and designing the plastic box it lives in etc. have to be included in the price, and we will never know those particular numbers. It is fun to try though. :)

Rick Brumfield

Bundling is one, required for console to function is another. They are going to have a headache when people realize this. THAT is a horrible move on MS’s part.

Rick Brumfield

Bundling is one, required for console to function is another. They are going to have a headache when people realize this. THAT is a horrible move on MS’s part.

Aaron Lucas

Especially for their mute customers. :)

Rick Brumfield

Or those with physical disabilities who can use a controller but cannot gesture.

Rick Brumfield

Or those with physical disabilities who can use a controller but cannot gesture.

http://www.jeffkibuule.com Jeff Kibuule

Because a developer would know the bill of materials of both the Xbox One and Kinect as well as be stupid enough to post such info on a Reddit AMA?

Whatever happened to critical thinking in journalism?

Shane Nokes

A developer on that project would certainly have access to the BoM. I had access to many things on all of the projects I worked on at MS.

http://www.jeffkibuule.com Jeff Kibuule

A software developer needs access to the BoM? Really? O_o

Phil Balliet

My Xbox One is preordered & I love the Kinect functions. Lazy people will be lazy, I for one enjoy voice & gesture functions. My kids enjoy them as well.

James

See thats what I don’t get. I get that you’re an MS fanboy but why are you calling people who aren’t kinect fans lazy? By your logic people who want a voice control remote over a remote control are actually lazy?

I like my 360 and I actually did buy the Kinect 1 along with few games like Kinect Adventures and kinect sports. But overall it was a major disappointment. I sold it off as it was gathering dust. I told to myself no more kinect. That was before it was forced onto me by MS.

Phil Balliet

Teehee my likes beat your likes :P

James

“Teehee my likes beat your likes :P”
What are you 5 or something?

Phil Balliet

#winning!

Zanten

…yes, and saving the handful of steps required to turn your console on manually, not remotely lazy! o.O

Jamie MacDonald

You can do that by holding the Start button in currently, the controller will turn on the 360 by itself.

ScrewBot

Frankly, I don’t care what Microsoft’s “vision for the future” is, if the xBone sold without a kinect, (and without all the other stupid restrictions), I’d consider buying it.

It doesn’t, so I won’t. Ever.
I’m not going to buy a whole bunch of crap that I don’t want.

No amount of Microsoft marketing will change that.

Lezlow

Considering you call it a Xbone, I doubt you were ever going to buy one anyway.

OverThePhone

it is the xbone.

Shane Nokes

Xbox One, not Xbone.

Aaron Lucas

or XB1. less typing.

Marble Shark

or X1, even less typing.

gt1111

look up skyrim and mass effect 3 to see how kinect was used. it was actually pretty cool

coip

The Kinect needs to be bundled in or it’ll never reach its full potential. Sure, the Kinect 1 was gimmicky, and maybe even the Kinect 2 will be as well, but odds are that Kinect 3 and 4 are going to be frackin’ awesome–completely changing gaming forever. I for one want to see what clever developers can come up with, but that won’t happen unless the Kinect 2 is bundled. It’s a brilliant move by Microsoft.

James

So you admit that the kinect 2 might be another gimmick and yet you want it forced onto users? I think its an horrible move. People don’t want to be imposed stuff. Kinect is dragging the Xbox one down with it.

We shouldn’t be bothered by the success or failure of kinect.

It should matter to MS. If MS wants it to work they just need to invest on developping quality products that uses the kinect to its full potential.

Let them exploit the kinect and impress us. Let them make us want to own the kinect. It looks like they aren’t confident enough with their product.

coip

Yes, I absolutely want it forced onto users. That’s the only way to guarantee technological progression. To users like you, it might still be gimmicky, but personally the voice navigation controls by themselves are fantastic enough to warrant inclusion. Nevertheless, you missed the entire point of my comment: the best way to progress on something is to open it up to a lot of talented developers and see where they take it. The videogame industry is full of them and they need an incentive to innovate: that incentive is that every Xbox One will have a Kinect. Microsoft innovated the hardware and software of the Kinect, and they will innovate it’s gameplay and other uses as well, but it is important to entice other talented development teams to work on it as well. That’s the only way we get from Kinect 2 to Kinect 3. Sometimes you have to get wet to cross a river. Furthermore, you are apparently oblivious to how well the Kinect 1 sold, especially considering it was first-gen hardware and software.

James

No, I did get your point about encouraging developers to come up with with new ways to exploit the kinect. But having a massive base doesn’t guarantee it either.

I for one thought like you when I bought the kinect soon after release. I thought it had potential and in fact like you said it sold massively yet there was nothing worth my initial investment. Even with a massive base of 25m developers AND MS didn’t exploit it. I was extremly disappointed and felt like they fooled me with their marketing ads.

Another example is the six axis sony controller. Sony talked so much about that feature and how promising it looked. Games used to include it initially but hardly any games uses that feature even though every PS3 controller has the tech.

I think if developers have good ideas about how to exploit the kinect than they’ll do it anyway.

Most gamers don’t care for kinect and don’t see the need for it. And the worste thing is you can’t sell it off because the xbox one won’t work without it. I think we have already invested massively on the kinect 1. We trusted them once. Now its time for MS to listen and deliver on what gamers actually want.

coip

I agree with you that the Kinect 1 was underwhelming. But, it was first generation hardware and software. The Kinect 2 will be much better. And despite the large user base, it wasn’t large enough to entice developers to really push it: that’s why it always felt gimmicky. Why invest a lot of additional resources into developing Kinect functions or Kinect-only games when only 1/3 of 360 owners had one. There was no incentive. Now, with Xbox One and Kinect 2, developers know that every single Xbox One owner will have a Kinect 2, there is finally reason for them to push the bar. And I’m excited to see where they can take it. I understand that some people still see it as gimmicky or intrusive (put a piece of tape over it if you’re that paranoid, I say, but better do the same to your PC and smartphone cameras and microphones too). And certainly there will still be plenty of games that you can play the traditional way too. So you as a non-Kinect user will be subsidizing the costs for those who do use it. Sorry, but that’s how it always works in the tech industry. Maybe I don’t want a Blu-Ray drive or I only want a 300GB hard drive in mine. Tough luck for me: to ensure standardization and mass appeal, I am subsidizing the costs of those for others.

James

No thats not how it always works in the tech industry. Sony aren’t doing it with their camera. If MS decides to do it then they’ll lose a lot of fans.

I don’t know why you started talking about people being paranoid and stuff that wasn’t the topic.

I think 25m is a quite a big market. I wonder how many years it’ll take for the kinect2 to reach that number. With 25m units and with not much competition from other kinect games devs had plenty of incentive to exploit the first kinect and yet no one bothered. Many people actually waited for quality games to make their investment worth it. They can keep waiting.

You didn’t talk about the six axis tech not being exploited in 6-7 years.

Also the wii is another example. Wii had so much promise with wii sports being such a success. They recorded huge sales. Yet not many 3rd party developers came up with quality stuff during the wii years. A huge base doesn’t guarantee much.

Lets face it most gamers don’t care about kinect or PS move. They don’t see how it will improve their gaming experience. They simply aren’t interested. I believe MS is doing a mistake by focussing kinect. The problem is if the xbox don’t sell then both the console and kinect are useless. If the had a bit of confidence in their product they would have sold it seperately. The xbox would have sold better. And then invest and publish on some killer apps to sell kinect.

Oh well its their loss. Anyway I believe what matters most for MS at the end is sales. So eventually they’ll have a pack without kinect. I’ll hope and wait. Until then its bye bye MS.

Nothing is a guarantee, but, yes, doing so increases the probability of innovation, and it is absolutely a good idea. And to be clear, no one is forcing anything on anyone. You’re not required by law to buy an Xbox One, but if you choose to buy one, it’s coming with a Kinect, and that us a good thing.

Paul

Sony did exactly the same with the Bluray Drive to win the format war, and the first PS3 drive was terrible.

MS have realised that the hardware needs to be out there before the developers will use it.

I look forward to seeing some of the uses they come up with for enhanced game play. Combined with SmartGlass we should see some really immersive games.

James

And whats your point? Personally Sony didn’t sell well and lost a lot of people because of me. I myself moved to the 360 because of it. So you think MS doing the same mistake is great for us?

Its like if Live gold membership price is increased to 50$ per month and they give us 45$ of indie games that you probably don’t care for. They say that this is to encourage indie developers to bring new innovative games. would you be happy about that?

I’m glad you’re excited about that. Im personally don’t care.
How about giving us the CHOICE?

Isn’t it a good thing if WE had a CHOICE and not IMPOSED stuff we DON’T want?

Paul

Sony didn’t sell well? You have come to this conclusion how? PS3 outsold XBOX on every continent largely in part to the cheap Bluray drive.

What you don’t seem to understand is by not including the kinect you are taking away the choice because innovation will fail to happen, and those who want the kinect will fail to get content for it.
You are being given a choice, If you don’t want to use it don’t. If it really annoys you so much then don’t buy it. There’s a couple of rooms in my house that rarely get used but I didn’t cry about it when buying it.

You have also decided to be the voice of all gamers with statements like “Most gamers don’t care for kinect and don’t see the need for it.”, again where have you got this information from? Apart from the added element it can bring to some games it also opens up the XBOX to the casual gamer and this is a much larger market.

When inflation is taken into account both the PS4 and XBOX have launched at lower prices than the previous generation. $100 extra for a kinect is not bad, if you really don’t want to pay it wait for the price to come down.

Marc Guillot

If you wait for the XBox’s price to come down, probably the PS4’s price will be down at the same time, so Sony will still have a big price advantage.

Rick Brumfield

Your comparison is, quite frankly, horrible. The Blu-ray drive is a storage device. They knew games would go over 9GB soon & that the ability to play HD movies on HD TV’s would pull in some extra sales. It doesn’t affect game play, its not a peripheral that is always touted as optional. No, the Kinect is like a light gun, it has some specific games it works great for, but no one should think its the 2nd coming of the analog controller.

Paul

Rick, I agree with your statement that the Bluray most definitely is a storage device. I don’t recall anybody ever disputing that fact. The comparison was in regards with how Sony bundled a Bluray drive and sold the PS3 at a financial loss, so as to improve the likely hood of Bluray winning the format war and Sony collecting the royalties on all future sales.

It did in fact affect game play, due to the low quality of the drives resulting in either games freezing or the drive completely failing.

“its not a peripheral that is always touted as optional.” Unfortunately you do not have your facts correct on this matter. The original Kinect was an optional add-on to the console but with the Xbox One Microsoft has never promoted it as optional, it is in fact not optional and this is because the Xbox One is being marketed with voice and gesture control, as well as the extra functionality it brings to apps and games. Having a kinect attached to every console will mean development of the technology and the uses of it will accelerate. It is also a great way for kids and the elderly to interact with a technology they would likely be unable to use if given a controller.

None of us are going to know how this is going to turn out for at least a few years, it may be that it flops, but it may also bring some unexpected rewards. When Nintendo launched the Wii, I doubt anyone knew it would do so well.

Rick Brumfield

“It did in fact affect game play, due to the low quality of the drives resulting in either games freezing or the drive completely failing.” Poor analogy. It did not affect game play, it affected functionality. Big difference. One is the way you actually play the game, one deals with whether or not you CAN play the game.

And if you go look at every interview about the Kinect you will see they are always saying that the Kinects functions are “optional” (quotes are mine as if something were truly optional then you wouldn’t have to have it plugged in). If you do not want gesture control or voice commands you have the option of “turning it off” in the sys menu, though they also say it can always hear ‘Xbox on’. If the elderly & youth want to play Kinect games, that is great. They could still have the option of plugging it in, whereas those of us who do not wish for the “optional” (again, they’re the ones saying you do not have to use it) functions cannot unplug it. They are already forcing everyone to buy one, the necessity of it being plugged in is non-existent. Its akin to their Win 8 play, lots of stuff people didn’t like & they had to go retooling.

Besides that it is poor design philosophy. It would be like having a rear camera in a car & if it got broken, your car would no longer work. Does it add some nice functions? Sure it does. Can you not drive without it? What MS created is the potential for many people to have bricked consoles: if their 6 year old decided to figure out how the Kinect works & takes it apart, if their cat or dog chews through the cord, it gets run over, if they forget it at someones house, if they are deployed overseas & somehow it gets fried. Even though it wouldn’t affect your ability to interact with the console with the controller & the majority of games (remember: the big dogs are cross platform – including PC – where motion & voice are not mandatory in the least). And I have heard nothing of replacement costs.

As for the Wii, you’re right. No one knew it would do that well, but even though it did sell so well, its still a niche system, specifically its pure motion control games. My friends don’t care for it because motion controls don’t interest them & the system can’t handle games like Fallout, Skyrim, BF3 & the like. Its biggest selling games are all first party.

We could actually see the effects of the Kinect in a little over a year. It took MS less than 18 months to retool the 360 with HDMI out & they had several iterations with internal & external design changes. 2 biggest problems I have & see with the XB1 is the Kinect, of course, & the small & non-replaceable HDD. With 4K content in the pipeline, blu-ray sized games, game DVR, TV DVR & all the other content that will be on the system, 500GB is kind of small. I know, I know: the cloud. But that is not a solid fix for the issue when much of America is still without internet, let alone broadband. That part of XB1 might be great for large metros that have widespread 30MB+ down speeds or maybe the year 2018, but most of us still deal with less than 10. Often less than 5.

Again: I am not anti-Kinect. I am anti forced connection of the Kinect. I would gladly buy the bundle if it were like every other peripheral bundled console released (which I have bought several) & let me NOT use the pack in. MS & the Devs would still have a 1:1 install base & people would have the freedom not to use the device & be able to use their expensive console even if little Jimmy wanted to see if the Kinect could see under water.

Rick Brumfield

Here I totally disagree with you. For one we have not seen motion controls make inroads into core gaming. Some functionality in ME3 & Skyrim really don’t represent a usefulness to core gaming. And the only thing that has changed from 1 & 2 is fidelity. Better camera. I think too many people here are under the assumption that cool tech + time = great applications! Unless the tech itself does not lend itself to the industry its being aimed at, then it doesn’t mater how long you work at it, you are not going to find good uses for it. You know what would really excite me for the Kinect 2 (& I mean, awesome)? MoCap – motion capture. I do some media production & if you could get the Kinect 2 + software for $500… some awesome kit for doing animation & what not. But its not gaming tech. It will always be regulated to either gimmicky games or some interesting, but not game changing functions, in other games. Same with Kinect 3 & 4, if those ever come out. Honestly makes me sad MS going this way, that they are doing another Win 8 & instead of stepping back & looking at the big picture they are just barging ahead. If they want some game changing tech they need to get on board with Oculus Rift. That tech is immersive & you still get to use your controller.

James

So If they remove Kinect the cost of the console should actually be 250$??

That would be cool. Now I really hope they remove it.

tech

Kinect 2 will be sold out the day “Kinect Brothel” is released.

Thats all.

whateverdude

Oh look a $250 webcam.

Shane Nokes

It’s far more than that…but it’s your right to be ignorant I guess. :)

Jamie MacDonald

It’s a dual camera, infra-red, always on, night vision webcam!

Adi

I am just saying I have always been a xbox lover and I even defended it from PS players but I finally give up. Xbox has pissed me off and I am force to join the ps4 group. I have no interest in Kinect so I don’t like that xbox is forcing me to get it. For that reason I am going for the PS4 but I will really miss my xbox account :(.

Rick Brumfield

I feel your pain. I really wouldn’t mind the forced pack in, its that they went so far as to make the consoles function dependent on it. It would be nice to have for those rare times I have a party where people want to use dance games, the rest of the time I want to put it in a drawer. But not the XB1.

Zeratul Zum

And you have the right to throw money into a shit hole.

Zeratul Zum

Also works as an electrical paperweight.

agooddecision

None of you have asked why the first kinect failed to impress, when both ps move and wii have succeeded with motion control.

There is a simple distinction between kinect and any other motion control platform for gaming: The other platforms allow peripherals to be used. A navigation controller for moving around? Check. A gun/sword/steering wheel to control the action? Check.

Kinect is hobbled by Microsoft’s bone-headed policy of no peripherals. Who wants to run on the spot to move around? That gets old pretty fast. And what about all those plasticky cheap wii steering wheels, tennis rackets, swords, etc? Yes they are cheap and look pretty crap, but they add a real immersion factor and enhance the enjoyment and the playability of the game.

Kinect is a very nice piece of technology going to waste because Microsoft cannot see its real potential.

Lezlow

Um what world are you living in that PS move is better than the Kinect. Ya Kinect is a bit gimmicky but I still had WAY more fun with all the wacky things Ive done with it over PS move. I feel like I am on a aircraft carrier telling planes what to do…….

agooddecision

And what game is that? Imaginary Aircraft Carrier 2000? And please don’t put words in my mouth, I said nothing about one being better than the other. If you could get over your one-eyed fanboyism you’d see the wasted potential that I was referring to in the kinect.

Kinect is a great device, but game developers need the freedom to use it any way they see fit, and if that means with peripheral controllers then they should be allowed to do that.

With less expensive technology both Nintendo and Sony have developed much better motion control devices for actually playing games. The PS Move Sharp Shooter is a great peripheral for shooters. Contrast this with Microsoft’s version: Pointing your finger at the screen and saying ‘Bang!’.

Zelda Skyward Sword used the Wiimote to great effect, allowing it to really give you the feel of wielding a sword. The kinect version is what? Wave your imaginary sword around?

Microsoft could release a range of peripheral controllers to enhance the kinect and bring it to a wider audience with a greater variety of games. Wouldn’t that be a good thing? And isn’t it reasonable to ask why they won’t do it?

AdamRadzik22

I personally really like the idea of the Kinect being bundled (for more money) on the XBOne, and I’m glad the M$ is at least allowing the potential for developers to have the monetary reasons to try and incorporate stuff into their game that will add to it. However, I also completely agree with you. I didn’t know that “no peripherals” was a thing for the Kinect, and I don’t know why that is the case. It seems that would open up even more potential innovation or enhanced gameplay (ie: Skyward Sword) beyond what will already be available in Kinect’s regular functions.

Shane Nokes

When you call one a success and the other a failure it’s pretty obvious what you’re saying.

agooddecision

I think what I am saying is written in plain English. I guess of you want to, then you can completely ignore what I’ve actually said and look for some hidden subtext.

Shane Nokes

It is indeed.

“the first kinect failed to impress”
“Kinect is hobbled”

“both ps move and wii have succeeded”

“wasted potential that I was referring to in the kinect.”

“With less expensive technology both Nintendo and Sony have developed
much better motion control devices for actually playing games. The PS
Move Sharp Shooter is a great peripheral for shooters. Contrast this
with Microsoft’s version: Pointing your finger at the screen and saying
‘Bang!’.

Zelda Skyward Sword used the Wiimote to great effect, allowing it to
really give you the feel of wielding a sword. The kinect version is
what? Wave your imaginary sword around?”

That’s what you’ve said in plain English. Now quit trolling.

agooddecision

The only person trolling here is you. You suggest that if I say anything negative about kinect that somehow makes me a troll? Or if I say something positive about other platforms in comparison then that makes me a troll too?

You add nothing to the conversation. You make no argument for or against anything. You are the troll.

Shane Nokes

No. I suggest that if you deny what you’ve said when I can quote it directly back to you that you’re trolling.

I didn’t ignore anything and didn’t look for a hidden subtext.

The point I was making is that you are calling specific devices a success and another one a failure. You deny that’s what you’re doing…but your own quotes show another story.

When you make a point, and then back away from that point, and deny it was ever made…and then lash out at someone for showing you where you said it?

That’s trolling…that or you really are in denial of reality. Take your pick.

agooddecision

I haven’t denied anything! On the contrary, I stand by everything I’ve said.

Can you actually read English?

agooddecision

There is a vast difference between constructive criticism and the mindless ‘product x is better than product y!!’ fanboy rubbish that you seem to be accusing me of.

If you want to make a constructive criticism please go ahead. If you want to add anything to this conversation, please do so.

If you just want to try to attack my credibility and accuse me of saying things that I clearly have not said, then you can crawl back under your bridge.

I offered a constructive criticism of the relative failure of the kinect (so far) to live up to its great potential as a gaming device. I would very much like to see this addressed, so that kinect can be a game interface that rivals and even beats both the Wii and PS Move.

My assertion is that the potential is there for kinect to be great, but Microsoft is holding it back by not allowing game developers to use peripheral controllers with kinect.

Now you can add something to the conversation or go away.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1223563048 Angel Ham

So basically they HAD the chance to sell it at $249.99 (even better if priced aggressively at $199.99 ) and thus driving the Sony out of the console race (They’re drowning in so much debt they can’t afford to price theirs competitively,) then make Nintendo the Apple of consoles with a +-5% marketshare, and STILL they didn’t? At some point you wonder if arrogant people like Adam Orth are the norm rather than the exception at Microsoft.

Robin Visser

I know right, they could have basically destroyed Sony in one blow with this. Sony already admitted they couldn’t go under $399 at E3. That’s why their SKU is so barebones.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1223563048 Angel Ham

Sony also had the chance to kill the 3DS with the 3G version of the Vita by selling it for $99.99 with a two year contract with an appointed carrier. Instead, they sold it in an awful, barebones, and overpriced version.

Zanten

The issue with the explanation I’ve been seeing on how the developers won’t be inclined to use the new Kinect Unless they are guaranteed a sizable market share does leave one gaping flaw. Microsoft’s policies ARE ensuring that, every console WILL have a Kinect, But not even the first party studios have shown us a groundbreaking game that would not be possible without the new peripheral. Ryse was intended to be a 360 Kinect focused game, yet even now, releasing on the Most advanced version available, it requires a controller. Microsoft is using a stick first approach, promising us a carrot eventually. That it will be worth it, sooner or later, eventually… And fine, but I’m not investing into it until these promised wonders actually show up.

Dhiren Khandel

MS are in a total mess right now. All this news about them changing the spec of the xbox one before launch and the whole fiasco surrounding the compulsory addition in Kinect is just not helping them. They really do seem to just have no clue as to how to go about the whole process. Yeah we get that you want to be innovative and change the gaming industry and take over the living room. That’s ambition. However you are charging so much for something that doesn’t change the game as far as people flicking a remote switch are concerned. People don’t have confidence in blowing a crap load of money on something like that right now. At least Sony stuck to their guns and said well actually people will have loads of devices anyway like surround sound, dedicated blu ray players etc. Why make them invest in something so expensive which will render their existing equipment useless or make our life harder for compatibility? Their aim is simple. Play games and maybe watch a few films or even use some apps. MS are just crazy. The only thing they have right now is their reputation something they have lost with me, an actual consumer.
Bottom line: Too much money from the people demanded. People already have smartphones you think they are going to free more money on this sort of casual thing? Money they don’t have or don’t want to commit so easily?

Retroact1ve

The people saying kinect will change gaming forever are right and wrong at the same time. Wrong because the emphasis on kinect has nothing to do with gaming, but right because now there will be targeted adverts based on emotions on a supposed games console.

Not the future I want to be part of. Just getting a ps4 this time around. The only thing coming out that will truly evolve gaming is the oculus rift, I’m looking forward to that more than my ps4 preorder.

BenderUK

No worries, they will recoup the costs from NSA that will spy on all Xbox One users through their cameras… I am surprised anyone has still trust towards this company thanks to recent leaks about PRISM and M$ making it easier for NSA to snoop on Windows users. Now NSA will have easy access to your room through the Kinect and you won’t be able to do anything about that because you agreed to be spied upon agreeing to Kinect’s 2.0 EULA. Good luck!!

Tim

lol..I must’ve typed this at the same time as you.

AdamRadzik22

On the one hand I agree with you, but on the other hand, most laptop computers these days have built-in webcams, and most have Windows running as well. There’s not much difference in owning a laptop built in the last 5 years and having the Kinect.

BenderUK

The difference is you can turn off the webcam and don’t have to agree To any EULA saying that it will be constantly monitoring what you do.

Reasonably

Yes, because laptop cameras are always on, can monitor not only gestures but biologic info as well and control your laptop via gestures.

Fail.

AdamRadzik22

Uhh, pure audio and video are the biggest concerns with privacy. Not gesture recognition or heart rate. And my point was that microphones and webcams that are controlled by a Windows machine is exactly as susceptible to relaying info as the Kinect. Just because you go into the microphone properties and tell windows to shut off the microphone, it doesn’t mean that the microphone is off, it just means that Windows is showing you it is off. Same with the webcam. IF MS wanted to spy on you, they could do so with your webcam and microphone in your laptop the same they could with the Kinect. Despite what you feel, there isn’t a large amount of difference between those things on your laptop and those things on the Kinect. Having a Kinect in the room isn’t necessarily more of an intrusion than having a laptop computer in the room.

Sapero

WATCH_DOGS is becoming a reality!!!

Tim

Isn’t the cost subsidized by the NSA though?

Robert

Heh, the X-bone! Bend over, here it comes!

Reasonably

Typical – MS forcing you into buying something you don’t want.

For that reason alone I won’t buy one. For all the reasons surrounding Kinect that I’m forced to buy – solidifies my decision.

Adi

I love xbox 360 slim but I am so annoyed with Xbox One that I am really thinking of getting the PS4 instead. I love my xbox account as I have a lot of achievements that I collected over the years but I have no choice but to go to PS4. XBox you made a big mistake with this. I don’t want to play the kinect so I will not be forced to buy it as I know I will never use it. It will be just another $100 wasted. Unfortunately I will most likely get PS4.

nfz74ru

BULLSHIT

Guest

It’s the thermal cam that makes it so expensive. Ever see the price for a military grade HD thermal scope? That’s why it costs so much and for the (relatively small) amount of money you are getting a lot with that integrated. The FLIR & thermal imaging is also what makes it sense your heartbeat and stress more precisely.

Morris Buel

Good point, the Kinect also tracks your heartrate. That thing has some insanely expensive tech in it, and the XB1 motherboard has to have a dedicated processor to talk with it.

http://www.ign.com/blogs/MichaelStevens Michael Stevens

I didn’t know the 3DS was performing wretchedly. Maybe a while ago. Not these days.

Vincere

So i realized that after i was done reading i left with absolutely no more information then i had already came with.

He openly admitted that the kinnect2 was not inherently integrated into the xbox one for a heightened entertainment experience on the consumers part.

It was simply a hopeful after thought that not even themselves are actively trying to push but,a burden on publishers.

Now when people expect a kinnect function they will blame game developers for not putting one in.

And now game developers will have to take time out of their life to think about putting it in to please microsoft/kinnect fans or think about potential criticism if they don’t include some kinnect function.

great job microsoft

Ray C

The system is the price it is. If people don’t like the price don’t buy it. Folks are acting like the PS4 is 299. Both systems are still pretty expensive. If the 100 is really that big a deal breaker for some people, are you going to even buy either system? If the PS4 cost more, some of these same people would be on here trying to justify it. Neither of these systems are in anyone’s hand’s yet. Over time both the system and the Kinect will both be less expensive to produce and the cost will come down. If the Kinect really cost that much, it just means there are two potential sources of a price drop down the line instead of one.

Multiscoop

Microsoft already did themselves in imo. Maybe they can change their policies now, but I’d still rather get a gaming PC to replace my shitputer and maybe a PS4.
Sorry, MS. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson about not walking all over your money-makers, the consumers.

Rick Brumfield

Man, after reading these comments I need to come here more than ign, more level headedness & people who actually question MS on the inclusion of the Kinect, instead of, “Your stoopid! Kinect is awsame! It emmerses you in da game & thay need to make you buy it so u can reliz it!”

Logan Nordhausen

I don’t care if it’s worth the world’s economy, I don’t want one so don’t force me to buy one.

Jason Balencia

Communist Microsoft makes people buy the Kinect while democratic Sony gives you an option for the Eye. Which seems more appealing? Thank you, Sony.

(Posted by an Xbox 360 fanboy)

hitler

kinnect is shit, i dont want cunts spying on me, keep consoles just for gaming like theyre ment to do, not fucking t.v and all that extra non gaming shit, ive got a pc for that

This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

ExtremeTech Newsletter

Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.